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Turning to The Spirit in Times of Turmoil

“I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power…”  1 Cor. 2:3-4

The Apostle Paul was such an important part of the rise of the early church and the teachings and doctrines that affect our Christian theology every day. But it was his ability to touch the average reader with passionate yet humble words which amaze me.

Too often we can get tied up in the complexities of faith and religion. I have to believe that Paul was experiencing the frustration of seeing the people he loved    being twisted and confused by forces from within and without their community. I’m sure that being a small band of believers in a busy, modern port city like Corinth was difficult enough; surrounded by business and people from throughout the world.  Roman, Jewish, and many other religious influences were the norm. Then bring in the other Christian missionaries and teachers that were also journeying through those regions. Many teaching confusing and contradicting beliefs. Not unlike our modern world, fear and confusion must have seemed overwhelming to the small Church at that time.

And let us not forget the nature of humans to fight and turn on one another when going through stressful of frightening circumstances. The debates and arguments within the church in Corinth were such a problem, Paul felt the need to answer them in at least two letters.

So here is Paul, writing to the body of believers to instruct them on basic matters of being the church, but also to remind them that the power of the Gospel lies in the mystery of God’s redeeming love for the world, and in a simple message of grace. The Gospel is power in and of itself, fully understood only when we let the Holy Spirit humble us and build us up again.

In these seemingly crazy and confusing times, when we may feel overwhelmed ourselves, trust that God is in charge, the Gospel is still our foundation, and the Holy Spirit will still carry us through!

 

February 2020 by Pastor Ken Berve

 

Felicem Valentinus!

 

“And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”              ~1 Corinthians 13:13 (NRSV)

 

What’s the big deal about Valentine’s Day?

Popular history tells us that Valentinus was a priest in Rome during the reign of Claudius II. He was caught marrying Christians, which was illegal and against Roman standards, and was arrested. When he refused to deny Christ or swear allegiance to the emperor he was beheaded, supposedly on February 14, around 270 AD. How romantic!

He soon became the patron saint of young people and lovers.

Valentinus’ devotion to supporting love among Christians is an example of God’s passionate love for all humankind. Scattered throughout the Bible are reminders of God’s love; from the Creation itself to 1^st John’s reminder that “God is love.”

As we celebrate Valentine’s Day this month, let us remember that love itself, in its many, many forms, is a gift from God to all of humanity. Where would we be without the love of friends, family, community, nation, stranger, and, yes, romantic love, too.

Here is a new way to look at the popular words from John 3:16, and remember that it was written as God’s Valentine to the world, to you, and me! Jesus said:

“For God so loVed the world
That He gAve
His onLy
BegottEn
SoN
                          That whosoever
Believe In Him
Shall Not perish,
But have Everlasting life.”

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Ken

pastorberve@yahoo.com

January 2020 by Pastor Ken Berve

 

Starting a New Year from the Genesis

 

“So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them;

    male and female he created them. God blessed them…God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.”              Genesis 1:27-28, 31 (NRSV)

 

The Year of our Lord 2019 is officially over!

For some it was a rough year, full of challenges and loss. For others it was a good year full of blessings and hope. I imagine that, for most of us, it was a year full of both good and tough experiences. Wherever we landed in the last year, it is now over and we have a New Year’s worth of good and bad times ahead of us to look forward to!

So, what better way to start 2020 than with a sermon series diving into the Book of Genesis, and reflecting on the back and forth, up and down stories that tell of the beginning of our relationship with our Creator?

Inspired by the book, “Genesis of Grace” by John Indermark, I would like to spend the six weeks before we begin Lent, exploring the complicated and often frustrating relationship humankind and God have had since the beginning. From the creation story that ended with “very good”, to the fall and ousting of Adam and Eve, the Flood, Abraham and his offspring, and the beginning of a nation…in slavery.

And all that in just the first Book of the Bible!

Also, to start the new year off, keep an eye out for our updated website and Facebook pages! We hope they will be a useful resource for everyone who is a member and anyone who wants to know more about our community.

Here’s to a wonderful New Year for everyone and may God richly bless His church throughout the coming months.

 

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Ken

pastorberve@yahoo.com

“May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity. ~Psalm 122:6-9

December 1st begins again the Church’s Liturgical Calendar and the first Sunday in Advent. Each Sunday is marked with a particular theme – peace, hope, joy, and love – and this year we begin the season with the wish for peace.

The Psalmist is raising prayers and praise for the people of Israel and all those visiting the Temple in Jerusalem. And, like most of us, he is hoping for peace for those he loves the most; his family and friends.

Hopefully, many of us celebrated Thanksgiving surrounded by the peace and love of family and friends. But for some, the holidays are dreaded because we know personal or political arguments will haunt the festivities. And throughout the world peace is rare and desperately needed. It may seem as though the world is increasingly divided, partisan, and hostile. That is, after all, the way the world and humanity has always been.

The question for us is, how do we remain peace filled in the middle of these storms? How do we remain calm, focused, and most of all hopeful when surrounded by the din of discord? Where do we get the strength to remain above it all and not be pulled into the craziness?
There is really only one answer.

This time of year we remember the title given by the Prophet Isaiah and repeated in the Gospel stories; Jesus, the “Prince of Peace”, born to bring light and salvation into this dark and broken world. Prayer, praise, meditation, and mission help keep us focused on what is truly important; loving God and loving neighbor, whether friend, foe, or family! It is our call as His disciples to BE the peace the world so desperately needs!

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Ken

It’s Complicated

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. 12 This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” John 15:10-12

On Facebook there is a place where you can put in your relationship status, and one of the options is “It’s Complicated”. So I ask; what human relationship is NOT complicated? And how much more so, then, is our relationship with the Almighty, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Creator and Sustainer of the universe?

Something amazing happens in this message Jesus gives to his disciples. In it he gives the usual call to “bear fruit”, or go out and make a difference in the world, but he also takes the relationship with his “students” to another level. They are no longer just his followers; now they are also his “friends”. But this was not instant; this came after three long years of following, learning, and working as Jesus’ disciples.

Most friendships do not include commands and talk of “following the master”, but then most teacher/student relationships do not involve “loving one another” and “laying down one’s life” either. This relationship was definitely beyond what we would call “normal”.

Most Christians fall into one of two different camps; either they see Jesus as their Master and Lord, one to be feared and obeyed, or they see Jesus as the gentle Shepherd or Friend, who loves them no matter what. You could say these are classic conservative/liberal ways of seeing Jesus.

But, just as Jesus’ message is often difficult to wrap our heads around, so our relationship with him can be confusing and complicated at times. The fact is that Jesus is our Lord and Master, and he is our Brother and Friend. It’s when we try to fit Jesus into our typical mold of human thinking that things get messy.

God is not simple.

So, our relationship with God is “complicated”. We are loved and cared for by our Savior, the greatest Shepherd to ever live. But we are also called by our Lord and Master to follow his commands, live by his rules, and strive toward his perfecting goals for us.

And today’s command is to “love one another as I have loved you.”

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Ken